Topping arm for fenceposts



www5@ Jan. Z, i923.

H G THOMSON ToPPlNs ARM r-oR FENcEPosTs. FILED MAR. 25, 1921.

Patented dan. 2, 192.3.

UNET@ STTS QFMQE.

TOPPING- ARM FOR FENCEPOSTS.

Application led March 25, 1921.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HERBERT G. THOMSON,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of New York, inthe county of 5 N ew York and State of New York, have invented certainnew and useful lmprovements in rlopping Arms for Fenceposts, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to fence construction, having especial referenceto inclined topping arms which surmount the fence posts and supportstrands of barbed wire in a manner to present a formidable obstacle tofence climbers.

The object of my invention is to prdwide a metal topping arm having anintegral base member which not only serves as a cap for the fence post,but also provides a simple and effective means whereby the arm can bereadily and solidly affixed to the top of the post.

To this end my invention, generally stated, consists in a fence toppingarm composed of a single piece of metal pressed into U-form andfashioned to provide an elongated body having a basal portion in angularrelation thereto, which portion is constructed to embrace the top of thepost and provide an effective clamping and supporting member for thearm.

The invention also comprisesl details of construction which will behereinafter described and claimed.

ln the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved topping baras applied to a fence ost. p Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Figs. 3 and 4i are transverse sections, on 4o the lines 3 3 and 4%,respectively, of

Fig. 1. A

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates the upper end of one of thevertical U-bar posts between which the heavy woven wire 45 fabric forthe fence is stretched in the usual manner; and 6 designates my improvedtopping arm which is affixed to the top ofthe post 5. This arm iscomposed of a metal bar, preferably pressed steel, of U-form in 50cross-section. The body of the arm, which preferably tapers from itslower to its upper end, is formed with an expanded basal por- Serial No.455,450.

tion 7 shaped to embrace and iit a substantial part of the top of thepost 5. The side walls of the basal portion extend beyond the spacedvertical edges of the post, and are provided with perforated ears 9 forthe passage of a cross-bolt 10, whereby the member 7 can be securelyclamped against the opposing sides of the post. The bolt 10 bearsagainst the vertical edges of the post and thus contributes materiallyto the support of the arm.

The upper portions of the sides and front of the basal member 7 arecurved inwardly and merged with the adjacent portion of the arm body soas to provide a cap for the open top of the fence post, as shown.Suitablydisposed tongues 11, which provide fastenings for protectivestrands of barbed wire, are struck up from the body of the arm.

As a simple and efficient means to support a top rail 12 adjacent thebasal member of the topping bar, a loop 13 which embraces the rail andclamps it in place, is provided. This loop preferably comprises asegmental metal member having at one end a tongue 14 which is hookedinto a suitablyedisposed slot 15 in the arm, and having at its other enda lug 16 which is imposed upon the exterior of the arm and is securedthereto by a rivet or bolt 17.

I claim- The hereindescribed topping arm for U- bar fence posts, saidarm composed of a single piece of metal pressed into U-form throughoutits length to provide an elongated body having an expanded basal portionin angular relation thereto, the sides of said basal portion comprisingyielding clamping members adapted to embrace the post and extend beyondthe rear edges of the post, and the upper portions of the sides andfront of said basal portion being curved inwardly and merged with theadjacent portion of the arm body to provide a cap for the open top ofthe post, and a bolt adapted to extend through the rearward sideextensions of the basal portion and bear against the rearward edges ofthe post.

Signed at New York, in the county and State of New York, this 12th dayof March, A. D. 1921.

HERBERT G. THOMSON.

